The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1887-10-06
An Open letter.


To the editor of the EmpOria Demo
ocrat, DEAR SIR: 1t would seem very
persumptious on my part to essay In
R'mY own feeble manner an answer to
one of YOUR editorials in the Democrat
on the 28th day of September, 1887,
entitled, "a Daniel Come to Judg-
ment," and then vent your indignation
on the prohibitory law, and those ex-
ecuting the same in SedgWick County.
Because, forsooth, those officials, or
rather, that Official, dared do the duty
imposed on him by the law under and
by virtue of which he exercised his
judicial function, and which law he
took an oath before high Heaven to
support. Now what are the
facts? A man knowingly hires
himself biz 80 to % do;n an man i,eoit MnSm
business, to-Wit: running saloon In
violation of law at a place near the
corner of Main and Douglas Avenues
in Wichita, KaS., and for the sake of a
few paltry dollars he agrees to defy the
law and pursue a nefarious business,
business that besides being under the
ban of law is one of the meanest and
most contemplate in which it is posi-
BILE for a man to engage, and for
period of more than two years dispense
liquid poison over the counter knowing
that every drop he sells he violates the
law of the state in which he lives, and
vet. because he is found out and sem
fenced to a penalty which his crime
! Justly merits, you raise hue and cry
| about ''blue laws" and "star chamber
proceedings. Seventeen years and
$40, 800 is a heavy sentence: But, MI:
/ Editor, did he not deserve it. He plead
| guilty,-and it does seem to me that
he deserved everything that was given
him-who can tell the number of wives
| and children he was the means of de-
priving of their daily bread, how many
little feet were bare because he sold
their father rum, who can tell of all the
tears that were shed because some
mothers boy was made worse than
sold him by the same drug clerk.
Mr.. Editor do you believe-now
be honest-that that sentence,
heavy as it is, will begin to atone for just
one moments anguish caused to some
loving wife, mother or sister by reason
of his wrong doing. Has he not met
his just deserts? Did he receive too
much? For man who In moment OF
passion and who is OVerpoWered by
that passion and commits crime.
there is pity; for the man who violates
law unknowingly, there is mercy; but
for the man who day after day and
year after year, will knowingly and
persistently violate law made by the
sovereign people, and all for the sake
of few paltry dollars, there should be
nothing but contempt and scorn. A
man who will violate law 1880 times
and do it knowing the conse-
quences, he deserves all he receives, and
more too, and like Tom Corwin / say
IF there is not a methOdistic hell there
ought to be-" An example should be
made of some one and should be made
of every one who dares trample the
law under their feet, and when these
whisky sellers are made to understand
that they will be punished for all theiI
violations of law, just so soon will the
prohibitOry law cease to be violated
But Mr.. Editor how comes it that you
are now found on the side of wrong, in
temperance and vice. l very well re
member the time when you stood fol
the enforcement of all laws which
the people in their majesty declared
to be law; and you declared emphati
cally for prohibition, why have you
banner? Have you, too, prOStituteG
your honest convictions to filthy lucref
Can it be that honest ideas cordially
expressed can be taken back by the
organ and mouthpiece of great party
Is it possible that money weighs
heavier in your pocket than principle
and conviction in your hearth Tel
me no. If not, repent the error of you
ways, and again stand for truth, fol
justice and for right.
awhile the lamp holds out to burn,
The vilest sinner may return"
| And we would certainly be glad tC
see you once more in the straight and
narrow path. Yours Respectfully,
j. A. SMITH.